"• The Panthers will play seven games against teams that finished the year with a .500 or better record, including six contests against opponents who made the playoffs during the 2012 campaign.
• Carolina has compiled a 14-6 regular season record versus the NFC West since division realignment in 2002.
• The Panthers will face the Cardinals for the 11th time in the last 13 years after only playing once in the franchise's first six seasons.
• This will be the 12th regular season meeting between Arizona and Carolina, making the Cardinals the Panthers' most common non-division opponent (excluding former NFC West mates St. Louis and San Francisco) in team history.
• The Panthers own a 7-13 all-time record against the AFC East.
• The Dolphins are the only NFL team Carolina has never beaten in the regular season, losing all four previous games to Miami."

If we can avoid the rough start we've had the past two seasons and play like we have been in the second half of the season, this can be a playoff year. A return to the playoffs has been overdue.